tropa de elite has been considered by some to be part of a new genre of commercial, bankable films which dive into the social dilemmas of drug trafficking and violence in order to shock and provoke, and by others to be a worthwhile tribute or companion to city of god and city of men.

the film is narrated by nascimento (wagner moura), squad captain of rio de janeiro's bope (batalhão de operações policiais especiais - special police operation battalion), who is undertaking his final work assignment as rio prepares for the pope john paul ii's 1997 visit.

his role is to enter into rio's drug-ridden and crime -infused favelas and to clean up and pacify them prior to the visit - alongside this task we see him preparing to appoint his replacement as squad captain.